Reliance Jio to announce pre-booking for JioPhone soon

NEW DELHI: Reliance Jio will soon be announcing the next pre-booking date for its JioPhone in addition to supplying 6 million JioPhones from the first order, a company spokesperson said on Monday quashing reports suggesting that the company will be halting production of JioPhone as it plans to come up with an Android-based phone.

“JioPhone, ‘India ka smartphone’, is committed to fulfilling the country’s digital vision. Jio welcomes the initial 6 million Indians who are moving to digital life with the JioPhone and will soon announce the next JioPhone booking date,” said the company spokesperson.

A report published by Factor Daily on Monday said that Reliance Jio has stopped further production of JioPhones and is in talks to bring out an Android phone. As per the report, JioPhone which runs on KaiOS will be manufactured up to 10 million units at least, post that it is unclear whether it would be discontinued once the Android-based phone releases.

However, a source said that such reports on JioPhone are mischievous and unsubstantiated and JioPhone enhancement and delivery is very much in progress.

Furthermore, the company is working on India specific enhancement of the KaiOS platform to fulfil the demands of India’s digital vision, the source said.In mid-October, a report said that Reliance Retail would start the second phase of booking for JioPhone post Diwali after completing delivery of about six million mobile devices that were booked in August. In the first phase of booking, about six million Jiophones were booked in just three days.

Several people ET spoke with about Ericsson’s India operations, including its current and former employees, said the Stockholm-based firm has reduced headcount in the last one year or so across functions, in line with its global restructuring.